Automatic test equipment (ATE) refers to an automated, usually computer-driven, approach to testing devices, such as semiconductors, electronic circuits, and printed circuit board assemblies. A device being tested by the ATE is referred to as a device under lest, or DUT.
During one type of testing, the ATE adds jitter to a test signal, and observes the DUT's reaction to the jitter. Tests such as this provide an indication of the DUT's tolerance to jitter. Problems arise, however, due to jitter introduced into the test signal along the communication path between the ATE and the DUT. More specifically, as a result of the jitter introduced into the test signal along the communication path, the jitter in the test signal at a connection to the DUT is different from the jitter that the ATE expects to be in the test signal, i.e., the jitter that the ATE has added to the test signal. This discrepancy between the actual jitter and expected, jitter can adversely affect testing performed by the ATE.